GENERAL SANTOS CITY - Manny Pacquiao wants a rematch with Jeff Horn, even if it means going back to Australia and doing a sequel to the 'Battle of Brisbane.'
Pacquiao expressed willingness to fight again in Brisbane, if that's what it would take for him to avenge his loss to the 29-year-old Aussie and regain his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown.
"May rematch. Sige kahit sa Brisbane, no problem," said the boxing legend before Manila-based sports writers while relaxing in his luxurious mansion here on Tuesday.
Pacquiao is back at home after yielding his title belt to Horn in a bloody 12-round bout at the Suncorp Stadium via unanimous decision that came under fire from experts and fans alike.
A rematch clause is stipulated in the fight contract, an option which Pacquiao wants to exercise, even offering to stage the fight right here in the Philippines.
But the Horn camp has already thumbed down the idea of defending the title in Manila and prefers instead to stage the rematch either in Brisbane again or even in Melbourne.
Pacquiao said he's amenable to both.
"Bakit ayaw nila (dito)?," the Filipino senator asked. "Pero no problem kung Brisbane uli."
The boxing icon, who turns 39 this December, said he doesn't know yet whether a tune-up match would be held prior to the rematch. Or if Horn would prefer to defend the title first against another opponent before facing him.
"Pag-uusapan pa lahat yan. Relax muna tayo ngayon," said Pacquiao, who earned $10 million in his first non-pay-per-view fight since 2005.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
